Arlington Heights immunization clinic reopens

Vaccinations return to the Arlington Heights clinic just in time for school.DAILY HERALD FILE PHOTO

Melissa Silverberg

After being closed so far in 2013, the Arlington Heights immunization clinic will reopen later this month, in time for underinsured and uninsured children to get shots before heading back to school.

The monthly Community Partnership Immunization Clinic will open from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 12, said village nurse Mary Sterrenberg. It is held in the Health Services Department in Arlington Heights Village Hall, 33 S. Arlington Heights Road.

The program has provided vaccines to those 19 and under from the entire Chicago area since 1993 and typically serves more than 800 underinsured and uninsured children a year, she said.

Because of a cut in state funding that started Jan. 1, the Illinois Department of Public Health limited vaccine delivery to only state-certified local health departments.

The Arlington Heights clinic was shut down while officials appealed to become "deputized."

"That was the hard part," Sterrenberg said of finding a certified health department to sign on. "It was a very long process."

In late July the village worked out a deal to have VNA Healthcare in Aurora sign on to the clinic's paperwork as a partner, which allowed the clinic to open its doors again.

There will be some changes when the clinic reopens, however.

The clinic will charge $10 per shot where it used to charge $5. The government provides the vaccine for free, but the fees pay for the administrative costs of running the clinic and hiring nurses part-time.

Immunization records and reservations are required one week prior to each clinic to ensure vaccine availability, Sterrenberg added.

"We want a healthy community and this will help that happen," she said.

Clinics will also be held on Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16. For information, call (847) 368-5760.

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